Page 6 of Beneath the Surface

“There are two types of clubs dealing with the D/s lifestyle. One like what you are describing—a bar where all sorts of activities occur and there are no membership requirements.That kind of club rests in the hands of our vice squad. They walk a fine line between legality and criminality. If that club is in Waverly County, their vice squad has it on their radar, I’m sure. If human trafficking is involved, Ethan has eyes on it.”

Ethan, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s resident agency in Pierre, raised a brow and nodded. “You’re sharing all my secrets, Brad.”

“The other type of adult lifestyle club keeps a very low-profile existence. Membership is screened and vetted. Members sign a contract similar to the contracts signed for athletic clubs, including a non-disclosure agreement. All activities are consensual and safe. All members have regular medical checkups. Condoms are required for all sexual encounters. If participating in any activity, there is a two-drink maximum. Some clubs require zero alcohol consumption. And there are what can be best described as lifeguards throughout the facility.”

Isobel’s eyebrow arched,her curiosity piqued even further by Brad’s extensive input. “Go on,” she urged, leaning forward slightly.

Brad shifted in his seat as he spoke, his eyes lingering on Isobel, a hint of something deeper behind his words. “It’s a lifestyle about respect and trust,” he explained. “It’s not just about physical things like bondage or spanking. The Dominant is responsible for taking care of their submissive, making sure they feel safe and protected. It’s a power exchange, but one based on mutual respect and understanding.”

As he spoke, Brad’s gaze held Isobel’s, his tone softening slightly, almost intimately. “The Dominant’s responsibility is toguide and protect, to make decisions within the boundaries the submissive has agreed to. It’s about creating a space where the submissive feels safe enough to let go, to trust the Dominant with their vulnerabilities. And it’s not a one-way street—the submissive has just as much power in setting the boundaries, limits, and rules. In fact, real strength in these relationships comes from that balance of trust, respect, and honesty. From what you are telling me, the club the boyfriend belongs to is not true to the lifestyle. It’s more like a theme bar.”

Isobel’s breath hitched slightly as she looked up at Brad, her curiosity deepening into something more complex. She could feel the intensity of his words, and the way he was looking at her wasn’t helping. “You mean... it’s not all about being controlled?”

“No,” Brad replied tenderly. “It’s about trust. The submissive yields control because they want to. It’s a gift of trust. And the Dominant doesn’t abuse that—they protect it, honor it. They’re responsible for their partner’s emotional and physical well-being. It’s a lot more than just tying someone up. It’s about connection.

“Everything is consensual. Both people agree to the roles, and, most importantly, they agree to the rules. There's no abuse or coercion here—if there’s no consent, it isn’t D/s but something else entirely, and that’s not what we’re talking about today. If we take a step further and look at the murders, I think, if Dominance was involved, it is an aberration.”

The room had grown unusually quiet as everyone listened to Brad’s explanation. Olivia sipped her wine with a knowing smile, watching the exchange between Brad and Isobel with amusement.

Ruth, unable to resist, smirked. “How do you really know so much about this, Brad?”

Brad didn’t look away from Isobel as he responded, “As I said, I took a seminar, and I’ve read a lot about it. It’s fascinatingpsychology, really. The lifestyle is more common than people think.”

Isobel sat back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. “I’ve been researching it for my case,” she admitted. “But it’s hard to reconcile what I know now with the context of a custody battle. I mean, how does that kind of lifestyle fit into a normal life?”

Brad’s gaze softened even more as he replied, “What’s considered normal? If you’re looking at whether this boyfriend makes the home for the teen safe and loving, then being a Dominant or submissive can fit into any version of life. It doesn’t define a person. A submissive can be successful, independent, and strong in every other part of their life. The dynamic only comes into play when both partners agree to it. It’s about creating a safe space to be vulnerable. Everyone needs that sometimes.”

Isobel stared at him for a moment. “I guess I hadn’t thought about it that way,” she murmured. “If you have any resources, I’d appreciate them. I want to understand this better—for the case, and for myself.”

Brad nodded. “I can send you some things. It’s a lot more complex than what most people assume.”

Olivia, who had been silently observing with an amused glint in her eye, finally spoke up. “Brad’s a great resource for anything psychology-related,” she teased, leaning into the moment. “But don’t worry, Jackson—he’s never been that kind of friend,” she added, clarifying the nature of her long-standing friendship with Brad.

Jackson, Olivia’s fiancé, laughed heartily. “If anyone was a Dominant, it would be you.”

Isobel glanced between them, half smiling as she raised an eyebrow at Brad. “I didn’t think so,” she teased. “You seem to know a lot about this.”

Brad grinned, raising his hands in a gesture of mock surrender. “Hey, just sharing what I’ve read.”

Ruth chuckled, breaking the tension. “Sure, Brad, just reading for research, right?”

The whole table joined in the laughter, easing the tension that had built during the conversation. Charlotte simply smiled. “I still don’t get it,” the matriarch muttered. “Whips and ropes just sound... so strange.”

Isobel looked at Brad once more, her curiosity lingering as the conversation shifted to lighter topics. As her mother changed the subject to the new wallpaper in the sitting room, Isobel found herself still thinking about what Brad had said. There was more to this world than she had imagined and perhaps more to Brad than she had ever realized.

Brad leftCharlotte Everhart’s home, the evening air cool against his flushed skin. The dinner had been more revealing than he’d anticipated, and the conversation still lingered in his mind. He went expecting the usual family banter, but Isobel... Isobel had caught him off guard.

For years, Brad had kept his interest in Isobel carefully locked away. She was off-limits, the daughter of Charlotte Everhart, former deputy chief of Waverly County PD, and sister to Olivia, his long-time friend. His place in their family orbit had always been a platonic one—close enough to be trusted, but never so close as to cross any boundaries.

But tonight, when Isobel looked at him with curiosity, when she leaned in as he explained D/s dynamics, there was something else in her eyes. Not just interest in what he wassaying for her case, but something deeper. A glint of intrigue, maybe even desire and submission.

That look shook him. The way her eyes lingered on him as he spoke about trust, vulnerability, and the delicate balance between a Dom and a submissive stirred something in him. For years, he’d kept his feelings buried, but tonight, something shifted.

As he drove away from the Everhart home, Brad’s thoughts churned. He didn’t head toward his house as he usually would after a family dinner. Instead, he found himself driving toward The Loft—the BDSM club where he’d been a member for years. He went to relax and not to indulge in the usual carnal pleasures that drew most people there. He wasn’t interested in casual sex, and he hadn’t had a submissive in the recent past. If anything, his visits were to clear his head and reconnect with the part of him he had largely kept hidden from the world.

Brad parked outside The Loft, his pulse quickening as he stepped out of the car. The club was discreet—no sign or flashing lights, just a simple building with small tinted windows. Inside, though, it was a different world. A world of control and surrender. A world he knew intimately.

As he walked through the door, Jesse greeted him warmly, not expecting him on a Sunday night. Jesse Gentry, owner of The Loft, was a former Delta Force commander and a psychologist who worked at the Blackwell Institute for Trauma, owned by Tristan Blackwell, Sophie Everhart’s fiancé. Jesse had a way of seeing straight through the bullshit.

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